His nose was broken.

So it was stuffed with tissue.

He was upset his nose was broken.

So he was also drunk.

He was drunk.

He liked how Lucy tended to a hangover.

So he preemptively slithered through her window at 4 am and fell asleep.

When Natsu woke up the next morning, he was caged by Laxus' spooning embrace.

Lucy came home from an overnight mission at ten the next morning and found them happily snuggled, with Laxus' hand on Happy's head as if it were her breast.

The blonde burst out laughing, which awoke everyone at once.

Natsu turned in the bed to Laxus' chest. "Noisy, Lucy..."

'Lucy' rumbled.

They made eye contact and let out a shout in unison. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!"

All this while Lucy watched Natsu roll out of the bed, and Laxus palmed Happy's head, noting it actually felt nothing like her breasts now that he wasn't drunk. There was pointing and shouting, and then Laxus' hangover caught up with him and he covered his ears and closed his eyes.

Lucy shook her head. "This really is what you both deserve. Why do you both have your noses stuffed?"

"Broken nose," Laxus mumbled.

Natsu scowled. "Lisanna threatened my life about sleeping over when you're here, so since you were gone, I really did miss your bed. There are some smells on your bed that are..." he made a disgusted face.

"THEN STAY OUT OF MY BED, NATSU!" she shrieked, delivering a Lucy kick that slammed him into the wall. "I sleep with Laxus in my bed."

"You sleep with Laxus everywhere," the pink-haired wizard replied, alluding to the sheer number of times they'd been caught touching one another in places one might call 'public.' They literally could not walk down the street to the market without ducking into the alley on the way.

Laxus pulled the curtains closed, pulled the covers over his face, and growled. "For fuck's sake, I'm hungover. I need some peace and quiet. Go home."

Natsu left, stopping to yell under the covers out of sheer spite.

Once he was gone, Laxus heard Lucy systematically walk through the apartment. She closed all the curtains and turned all the lights out. Despite her shouting and rage, no matter what, his baby always took care of him. He'd fallen asleep with all his clothes on, so she undressed him and sent him to shower while she put his clothes and her sheets in to wash. The shower was cool—just the way he liked it during a hangover.

When he got out, he dried off and put on a pair of clothes he'd left there.

The blonde offered him toast with half butter, half grape jelly, a glass of water, and some aspirin. "Eat and then go back to sleep."

"Will you come lay with me?"

"If you're nice."

He grinned at her as he sat on the sofa with the toast. "You really are the most wonderful thing in the whole world. I'm an undeserving bastard."

When he looked up, he saw the date. "One year ago today, we went on our first date."

"Oh, that was today," she noted as she sat in his lap and ran her hands through his hair. "Happy anniversary, Mr. Hungover Dragon."

"Happy Anniversary, Ms. Gonna-Get-It-Rough-When-I-Recover. But for real. Come over tonight. Freed and Bixlow are on a mission, so we can have the house to ourselves. I'll cook," he offered.

Lucy shook her head. "I only eat at your house when one of your roommates cooks. You have a lot of skills, but cooking isn't one of them."

"So mean..."

The blonde felt no guilt. "I don't accept whining from the guy that made me a Spam and banana sandwich."

"Fine. I'll get takeout. You didn't even give it a chance," he answered, feigning offense.

She kissed his forehead. "I'm going to catch a shower. Finish your toast and go back to bed, you silly hungover boy."

While she was in the shower, she heard the door open and saw his outline as he stood in front of the toilet and lifted the toilet seat. "Laxus, I honestly find it really gross that you come in here and pee while I'm showering."

He pulled the shower curtain open, so now he was looking at her naked in the shower while she watched him urinate. "I find it really gross that you have a period."

Lucy yanked the curtain closed. "You may find it gross, but you'd be in a sad state if it ever doesn't show up."

"Touche."

"God, how long are you going to pee?" she asked.

"You have no idea how much liquid I ingested."

Laxus gave it a little shake, flushed the toilet, and washed his hands. Just as he reached for the door knob, a bar of soap hit the back of his hungover skull and he scowled. "Why are you abusing me now?"

"Put the seat down right now," she hissed menacingly.

When she got out of the shower, she put on some pajamas, and crawled into bed with him, content to sleep most of the day away with him.

They went their separate ways in the late afternoon, and just after nine o'clock, Lucy made her way up the path to his house. She could smell burgers and fries from outside and when Laxus opened the door, they kissed like they hadn't seen each other in a year.

Time was marvelous to Laxus when it came to her. The longer they stayed together, the more he felt intertwined. The comfort and trust only grew as the days ticked by and they stayed in love. He was so far beyond commitment and in the realm of giving up his whole self to have her whole self.

They cuddled on the sofa and watched a romance on the lacrima-tron in his living room as they ate from takeout boxes and sipped wine, tiger at their feet.

During the film, Laxus put his arm around her. "Love at first sight is bullshit."

"The first time I saw you, I thought you were a jerk," she smiled as she muted the movie and climbed onto his lap.

Between kisses, he asked, "and now?"

The blonde smirked. "Now I know it. But I also know that I am madly in love with you," she whispered.

"Let's dance..."

"Hmm?"

Laxus led her to the stone patio behind the house and wrapped his arms around her. They were lit by the moon as they moved in the dark. They were were silent at first, and they danced in the quiet of the night, but after a thin sheen of sweat appeared on her brow, he spun her into his arms and kissed her.

"Lucy?"

"Hm?" she answered in bliss.

Her beloved Laxus sank suddenly, and knelt on one knee before her.

Her heart started to pound; this wasn't one of his post-coital things that would be forgotten.

Their eyes locked and she memorized the way he looked as he spoke. "Lucy Heartfilia, there is no one like you in this whole world, and I'm a selfish bastard. I want to keep you for myself forever. You're everything. Smart. Sexy. Full of love...as for me, I'm an idiot and I have a bad temper and I'm stubborn, but I fucking love you.

"Lucy," his voice wavered as he took a ring box from his pocket and opened and she felt butterflies in her stomach, "will you marry me?"

Lucy felt tears sting her eyes as she nodded. "Yes!"

The engagement ring featured an enormous yellow diamond cut into the shape of a lightning bolt and he slipped it on her finger with ease.

She screamed in delight when he leapt from the ground and threw her over his shoulder, spinning her in circles. By the time he stopped and put her down, she was dizzy and she reached out for him. He led her in a slow, dizzy, crazy dance, during which clothes were strewn about and then they made love in a hammock nice and slow.

They were snuggled up close, naked under the stars.

"You're my fiance," she uttered as she kissed him again.

Laxus bit her lip. "How do you want to do this? You want a big wedding, little wedding, long engagement, short engagement?

Lucy thought about it for a minute. "We have a lot of people we know. I think we have to have a big wedding or people will feel left out. But then we have to plan for that. Maybe six months?"

He nodded in agreement. "I thought that too. How about our living situation?"

"You have roommates and I think my apartment is small for two people to live all the time. Especially if one of them is you."

"We'll find a new house."

They talked practicalities for an hour and then she rolled on top and squealed, "We're getting married!"

She's so cute about this I feel bad I already want to bend her over...

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